Essex: Protests At Youth Service Cuts

31 October 2013, 00:00

Young people in Essex are angry at plans to cut £3 million from youth services.

More than 100 people from around Essex are expected to protest outside County Hall in Chelmsford over planned cuts to youth services.

Essex County Council has started a consultation on plans to reduce the youth services budget by £3 million by 2014/15 to just £2.1 million. 

The Unite union has called the measures 'draconian' and 'short sighted'. Carolyn Simpson from Unite said: "We want to drive home the message to councillors that the blinkered and draconian options that they are contemplating will hit young people seeking advice on employment, accommodation and personal issues. 

"The council is storing up social problems for the future - which will cost more to fix in the long-term - by adopting this knee-jerk and short-sighted stance. 

"We want the people of Essex to put pressure on their county councillors to save this service which has demonstrated proven and positive results over the years for the county's young people." 

Cuts will make lost generation worse

The union says there are currently 178 youth workers employed by the county council and there are two options being discussed by councillors. 

One is that all youth workers lose their jobs and services would be carried out by voluntary oganisations; the alternative is that 172 youth workers lose their jobs, leaving just six for the whole county. 

17 year-old Nishal has helped organise the protest. 

He told Heart the cuts would have a severe impact: "We've already been called the lost generation and this will just make it worse. 

"People will be going and doing things they shouldn't be doing because people will be going and doing things they shouldn't be doing because there aren't those services to help and support them through teenage life." 

Not a done deal

Essex County Councillor Ray Gooding, Cabinet Member for Education and Lifelong Learning said: "No decisions have yet been made about the future of Essex youth services. 

"However, it is undeniable that, given the £215million savings that the County Council is faced with making we cannot rule out any measures that are needed to achieve this. 

"The purpose of the youth service consultation is to listen to young people to see how we can continue to offer them the services they need in the most effective manner." 

The protest is taking place at midday.